Bruno Dumont releases Les Roches rouges set on the Côte d’Azur

Director Bruno Dumont returns to a more naturalistic style with his new feature film, Les Roches rouges, which is scheduled for theatrical release on September 23, 2026. Moving away from his previous science-fiction work, L’Empire, the film is set on the Côte d’Azur near Saint-Raphaël and filmed amidst the mineral landscapes of the Var region.

The narrative follows two groups of children during a summer holiday, focusing on five-year-old Géo and his interactions with a group of tourists. The plot explores themes of friendship, rivalry, and first romantic feelings as the children engage in activities like jumping from red rocks into the Mediterranean.

Technically, the film utilizes wide-angle lenses and handheld camera work by cinematographer Carlos Alfonso Corral to capture the spontaneity of childhood. Dumont has opted for a soundscape driven by natural elements—waves, wind, and silence—rather than a musical score to enhance the film's quasi-documentary feel.